Honored guests from Israel, Morocco, the US and Canada gathered to pay tribute to RabbiAvram Amar on Sunday, June 8, 2014 at the Sephardic Nursing home for his 25 years of faithful governance as the spiritual leader for their 271 bed, modern, full service, skilled nursing center. The Sephardic Center, located on 2266 Cropsey Avenue in Brooklyn, NY is at the forefront of elder care, constantly embracing new methodologies and concepts.Religious observance is a major part of life at their Home. Under the spiritual guidance and encouragement of Rabbi Amar the residents and families are able to attend special Sabbath and holiday services. He shares with the residents the importance of the heritage in accordance with Halachic traditions of both the Sephardic and Ashkenazi cultures. AtSephardic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, they believe that continuity with former lifestyles and religious identity helps residents through recovery and provides a strong sense of comfort and security. http://www.sephardichome.org/long-term-care.9-0-2-.html

The World Federation of Moroccan Jewelry in collaboration with the Sephardic Nursinghome hosted a lavish celebration joined by distinguished Rabbis, political leaders, and ministers from the Moroccan and Israel consulates. A very festive aura was felt in the air while delicious Moroccan delicacies and dinner were served. The Andelus Band with an authentic Moroccan choir accompanied by traditional Moroccan musical instruments sent by the Moroccan government entertained the distinguished guests. Chief Rabbi Kassin praised Rabbi Amar for devoting his adult life to serving his Jewish brethren, through his involvement in the lives of the elderly community at the Sephardic Home, and through his teaching at Magen David.

Rabbi Shlomo Braun presented a resolution to Rabbi Amar on behalf of State Senator Martin J. Golden. Rabbi Braun praised Rabbi Amar for his outstanding contributions to the Sephardic Home and to the Jewish community at large. Rabbi Braun expressed his appreciation to Michael New the Executive Director of Sephardic Nursing Home for the outstanding delivery of service to the residents of the facility and for keeping to the commitment to have all Jewish residents in their home. This is in my opinion a great sacrifice and a real Kiddush Hashem on behalf of the Sephardic community.

Rabbi Amar was born in Casablanca, where he attended Em HaBanim Yeshivah as well as Otzar Hatorah. After serving in the Israeli army he was ordained as Rabbi with smicha at Yeshivah Merkaz Harav in Jerusalem as well as was fully certified as cantor at Heichal Shlomo in Jerusalem.

“Jews in Morocco are in the best situation that they can imagine,” said Berdugo secretary general of the Moroccan Jewish community and a former minister of tourism, in an interview that took place on Friday, hours before King Mohammed VI met at the White House with President Obama in 2013. Berdugo, who also carries the tile of Ambassador at Large, was part of the official delegation visiting Washington. In his meetings with American and Jewish officials he portrayed Morocco as a heaven for religious tolerance at a time when its neighborhood is falling in the hands of extremists. “The message is: it’s possible. It’s not a fairy tale, come and see for yourself,” added Ahmed Abbadi, a Muslim, who chairs King Mohammed’s council of religious scholars. It is a message welcomed by Washington, which has been taking flak for not standing up to Islamist in post-Arab Spring Egypt and Tunisia. The model Morocco sought to present during the king’s visit was of an alternative to the anti-authoritative uprisings the Middle East and North Africa had experienced – one in which gradual reform and relative tolerance could prevent tensions from building up and maintain a pro-Western monarchy. Treatment of the Jewish community is a key test for this doctrine, and Morocco’s Jewish leader was in town to show that it works. Morocco currently has a Jewish community of 4,500 members, most of them concentrated in Casablanca. It is a mere shadow of the country’s storied Jewish community which began nearly 2000 years ago after the destruction of the second temple and reached a peak of more than 250,000 in 1948. Since, in several waves, Jews left Morocco, mainly to Israel, but also to Europe and Canada. http://forward.com/articles/188189/morocco-jewish-leaders-praise-king-for-keeping-pea/?p=all

Rabbi Shlomo Braun is the Founder and Director of the Aleh Foundation located at 5317 13th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219. Last month they celebrated a 30th anniversary Gala Dinner in the Museum of Jewish Heritage to pay tribute to their staunch supporters and honorees for their contributions to disabled children in Israel. Visit the website at www.alehfoundationusa.org or call 800-317-ALEH for more information.